Weir hinge structure

ABSTRACT

A weir for a swimming pool skimmer having outwardly extending integral hinge pins to enter and be journaled in sockets in the walls of the throat of the swimming pool skimmer, the weir being slotted to impart flexibility to the portions carrying the hinge pins in order that the pins may be snapped into the sockets, and provided with an insert for the slot having retaining lugs to maintain it in the slot and having the purpose of impeding the removal of the weir by prying or wrenching tactics except upon removal of the insert.

United States Patent [1 1 Baker et a1.

[11.] I 3,339,750 [451 Oct.' 8, 1974 1 1 WEIR HINGE STRUCTURE [75] Inventors: William 0. Baker, Corona Del Mar; Charles S. Johnson, Laguna Niguel, both of Calif.

[73] Assignee: Baker Hydro, Inc., Santa Ana, Calif. 22 Filed: Nov. 10, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 305,612

[52] US. Cl 4/172.l7, 16/150, 16/171,

16/174, 210/169 [51] Int. Cl E0411 3/16, E04h 3/18 [58] Field of Search l6/135, 137, 171, 174,

[56] I References Cited I UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,892,220 6/1959 Gillespie 16/150 3,316,934 5/1967 Sowers 210/169 X 3,432,882 3/1969 Farouche-... 16/171 5/1969 Dangauthier 16/171 x 3,445,884 3,497,908 3/1970 Zamarra l6/l7l Primary Examiner-Theodore A. Granger Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Knobbe, Martens, Olson, Hubbard & Bear I 57 ABSTRACT A weir for a swimming pool skimmer having outwardly extending integral hinge pins to enter and be joumaled in sockets in the walls of the throat of the swimming pool skimmer, the weir being slotted to impart flexibility to the portions carrying the hinge pins in'order that the pins may be snapped into the sockets, and provided with an insert for the slot having retaining lugs to maintain it in the slot and having the purpose of impeding the removal of the weir by prying or wrenching tactics except upon removal of the insert.

10 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 2/1973 Blum ..2l0/l69 I pool into the well throughthe throat of the skimmer Y and is'drawn off through a conduit near the bottom of the well by the circulatingpump.

In order to effect the skimming operation there is pivotally mounted inside the entrance to the throat a weir which is biased to dispose itself in a generally upright position when there is no circulation of water. When the water circulation equipment is set in operation, the weir moves inwardly about its pivots until its upper edge goes under the surface of the water and as the water escapes past the upper edge of the weir, it flows swiftly in a thin layer thereby accelerating the surface flow at the entrance to the skimmer and causing floating debris to be drawn into the skimmer where it accumulates in the pit or well behind the throat.

Because the weir is subjected to rocking motion caused by the flow of water into the skimmer and also by disturbances in the surface level in the water in the pool due to the activities of swimmers, the pivots wear and occasional replacement of the weir is necessary. There may be other reasons for replacement of theweir such as for the sake of a pleasing appearance in case of discoloration due to such causes as exposure to water and sunlight. It follows from this that it is desirable that the weir be readily removable and replaceable without disturbing in any way the skimmer throat or by the use of any but the simplest tools.

This invention relates to a weir which is molded from plastic and which'has hinge pins molded on the sides thereof integral with the weir for entry into sockets in the sidewalls of the throat of the skimmer. inwardly from the hinge pins the weir is slotted parallel to the sides so that the portion of the side wall that carries the hinge pin may be flexed inwardly to permit the hinge pins to slide against the side walls of the skimmer throat and enter the sockets in the side walls in which they are journaled. The hinge pins enter the apertures with a snapping action, the flexed portions of the side walls of the weir that carries the hinge pins then unflexing, and the weir is thus retained in the journal apertures.

However, the ease of installation of the weir in the skimmer gives rise to a companion ease of removal of the weir, as by the insertion of a thinly tipped instrument, such as the blade of a screw driver or by violently wrenching or twisting the weir, thereby causing the hinge pins to be cammed out of their journal sockets or perhaps destructively snapping off a portion of the side wall of the weir that carries the hinge pin.

The present invention furthercontemplates an insert or spacer to be fitted into the flexure relief slot and having a thickness generally matching the width of the slot. The insert is flanged at the top so that it cannotfall through the slot in the weir. The walls of the portion of the insert that enters the slot are provided with camming lugs which, upon insertion of the spacer into the slot, effect a spreading of the slot, to provide shoulders engaging the inner surface of the weir on opposite sides of the slot, after the spacer has been pressed into position to retain the insert in the slot, to prevent its being lifted out except by the use of a suitable instrument for spreading the slot. The insert may be easily removed when the weir is to be replaced, but it impedes or prevents accidental or mischievous removal of the weir by force or by wrenching.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a complete understanding of theinvention reference may be had to the following detailed description to be interpreted in the light of the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged exploded perspective view showing a fragmentary portion of a weir having a flexure release slot at the location of a hinge pin and an insert or spacer in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. -2 is an enlarged perspective view of the insert viewed from below;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a fragment of a weir with the insert seated in the slot end with a hinge pin fitted into a socket in a skimmer wall; and

FIG. 4 is'an elevational view approximately in full size, showing the weir in erect position in the entrance to the skimmer.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to the drawings and particularly to FIG. 1, the reference numeral 10 designates generally a weir that is to be installed in the throat of the skimmer of a swimming pool. Only a fragmentary lower corner of the weir is shown in FIG. 1 and it will be understood that this is the lower right hand corner as the weir would appear if viewed looking into the throat of the skimmer from its entrance, and that it has been broken away both upwardly and to the left. The left lower corner of the weir would be a mirror image of the corner shown in FIG. 1. The reference numerals 12 and 14 designate respectively the right hand side wall and the lower portion of the face of the weir. The weir may be molded of plastic such as, for example, an ABS resin which may a mixture of styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer with acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber. This is a thermo plastic resin characterized by high impact strength and resistance to the action of most'solvents, oils and chemicals. Preferably the hinge pin 16 is molded as part of the weir and extends laterally from the side 12 of the weir at the base.

Spaced inwardly from the outer surface of the side side walls, the lower end of the side wall 12 of the weir being squeezed inwardly to accommodate entry of the hinge pins between the side walls of the skimmer throat. The weir is then maneuvered to bring the hinge pins 16 into registry with sockets in the side walls of the skimmer whereupon the hinge pins will snap into the sockets, the-slots 18 opening to their normal width.

The insert or spacer for the weir may be molded of the same kind of plastic material as the weir itself. It is designated in the drawings generally by the reference numeral 30 and comprises a body portion 32 which has a width relative to the width of the slot 18 that will permit the insert 30 to slide easily into the slot. At its top the insert 30 has laterally extending flanges 34 and 36 which, when the insert is placed in the slot 18 prevent the insert 30 from falling through the slot. The face 14 of the weir 111 is provided with a flange 20 and the slot 18 traverses the flange as well as the face 14 of the weir. The sides of the body 32 of the insert 30 are provided with wedge shaped lugs 38 the slope of which is outwardly progressively from the bottom of the body 32 of the insert toward the flanges 34 and 36. Preferably one end of the body 32 isconformed to the contour of the inner end of the slot Band in the showing in FIGS. 1 and 2, this contour is semi-cylindrical. Thus, that end of the body 32 of the insert 30 can have surface contact with the inner end of the slot 18. At the other end of the insert the flanges 34 and 36 terminate at such a distance from the rounded or semi-cylindrical end of the body 32 of the insert that when the semicylindrical end of the body portion 32 of the insert 30 is in close proximity to the inner end of the slot 18, the free ends of the flanges 34 and 36 can drop behind the flange 20 so that when the insert 30 is placed in the slot 18 and is pressed down to bring the inner faces of the flanges 34 and 36 in close proximity to or in surface engagement with the face 14 of the weir the insert 30 is precluded from sliding to any appreciable extent in either direction and particularly is precluded from sliding out through the open end of the slot 18.

The wedge-shaped lugs 38 provide camming surfaces for spreading slot 18 as the insert 30 is pressed down into the slot, and the upper edges of the wedge shaped lugs- 38 provide shoulders spaced from the inner surfaces of the flanges 34 a distance substantially matching the thickness of the face 14 of the weir 10, so that when the insert 30 has been pressed into position the slot 18 closes to its normal width with the tops of the wedge shaped lugs 38 disposed beneath the face of the weir so that the shoulders afforded by the lugs 38 retain the insert in slot in the weir. In connection with the procedure of inserting the spacers 30 into the slots it may be noted that because the weir 10 must be free to rock upon its hinge pins 16 between the side walls of the throat of the skimmer without binding against the side walls of the skimmer the amount of clearance that is needed to provide free rocking of the weir upon its hinge pins is sufficient to permit the expansion of the slots by the wedge shaped lugs sufficiently for the lugs to clear the inner surface of the face of the weir 10 and drop into retaining position.

With the insert 30 locked in position in the slot in the weir, and it will be understood that there is a slot on each side of the weir and each receives one of the inserts 30, the side wall of the weir may no longer be flexed inwardly in the area where the hinge pins 16 is located and because the flexing of this portion of the side wall is prevented, the accidental or mischievous removal of the weir by twisting or wrenching is impeded if not prevented. It will be recognized that in the absence of the insert a wrenching force applied to the weir could cause an inward camming of the hinge pins 16 within their sockets, particularly if wear on the pins had altered them to a somewhat conical configuration.

With the spacers filling the slots it is as if there were no slots and flexure of the side walls of the weir inwardly, due to such camming action, is prevented.

FIG. 3 includes a showing of the manner in which the hinge pins 16 of the weir 10 is retained in its socket. In FIG. 3 the reference numeral 40 designates a portion of the wall of the swimming pool at the point where the skimmer throat is fitted into the wall and the skimmer throat is designated by a reference numeral 42. The side wall of the skimmer is provided with an aperture 44 to serve as a socket to receive the hinge pin 16 of the weir 10. In order that the aperture or socket 44 shall not serve directly as a bearing for the hinge pin 16 and thereby be subjected to wear due to the rocking of the weir 10, which might necessitate replacement of the entire skimmer, a flanged bushing 46, preferably of metal, may be interposed between the wall of the socket 44 and the hinge pin 16 of the weir so that the wear in the hinged mounting of the weir may be confined largely to the hinge pin 16 of the weir 10, the weir being a readily replaceable and relatively inexpensive component of the skimmer.

Attention is -now directed to FIG. 4 which shows the weir 10 mounted in the throat 42 of the skimmer. The weir is shown standing in an erect position, as it may in the absence of a flow of water into the skimmer if the height of the weir is less than the height of the skimmer throat. The bottom wall of the skimmer throat 42 is provided with a vertically standing flange 50. Extending across the face 14 of the weir 10 between the slots 18 is a projecting rib 52 which comes into engagement with the edge of the flange when the weir is standing in a vertical position. The flange 50 serves as a stop to prevent the weir 10 from moving pivotally in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 4, which is outwardly from the throat 42 of the skimmer, in order to prevent floating debris that has been accumulated in the skimmer from escaping back into the pool. The presence of the stop comprising the flange 50 and the rib 52 gives added importance to the provision of the insert 30 for the slot 18. It will be observed that if the weir 10 is grasped at the top and pulled outwardly from the throat of the skimmer the edge of the flange 50 becomes a fulcrum and the weir will pivot about that point. Great stress will be then applied to the hinge pins 16 because of the multiplication of the applied force resulting from the relative distances from the fulcrum to the top and to the bottom of the weir. Without the insert 30 to block the flexing of the side wall 12 of the weir 10, the hinge pins might be cammed out of their sockets and the skimmer thus be prevented'from performing its function because of the disablement or removal of the weir.

What is claimed is:

1. In a swimming pool surface skimmer of the type which includes an open housing, a skimmer throat for fluid communication between the housing interior and the swimming pool having hinge apertures in the sides thereof, and a skimmer weir assembly in said throat for moving as the water level in the swimming pool changes, the improvement wherein the weir assembly comprises:

a body having hinge pins projecting from the sides thereof for entry into the hinge apertures in the skimmer throat and having a slot in the body ina position of lateral displacement from at least one of said hinge'pins to provide clearance for flexure of the side of the body in the vicinity of the hinge pin and thereby facilitate the placement of the body in said skimmer throat; and an insert positionable in said slot to lock said hinge pins within said hinge apertures once said body has been positioned within said skimmer throat, preventing inadvertent removal of said body caused by a possible flexure of said side of said body. 2. A swimming pool skimmer as defined in claim 1 including:

means for retaining said insert in the slot. 3. A swimming pool skimmer as defined in claim 1 wherein said insert comprises:

a body portion dimensioned to occupy substantially the entire width of said slot; and at least one flange extending laterally from the body portion of the insert to preclude passage of the body portion entirely through and out of the slot.

4. In a swimming pool surface skimmer of the type which includes an open housing, a skimmer throat for fluid communication between the housing interior and the swimming pool having hinge apertures in the sides thereof, and a skimmer weir assembly in said throat for moving as the water level in the swimming pool changes, the improvement wherein the weir assembly comprises:

a body having hinge pins project-ing from the sides thereof for entry into the hinge apertures in the skimmer throat and having a slot in the body in a position of lateral displacement from at least one of said hinge pins to provide clearance for flexure of the side of the body in the vicinity of the hinge pin and thereby facilitate the placement of the body in said skimmer throat, the distance between said hinge pins being greater than the width of the opening of said skimmer throat, requiring said flexure of at least, one of. said sides of said body toward the other side of said body in order to position saidhinge pins within said skimmer throat-to allow said hinge pins to snap into said hinge apertures as a result of said one side of said body flexing outward to its normal position; and an insert positionable in said slot to lock said hinge pins within said hinge apertures once said body has been positioned within said skimmer throat, preventing inadvertent removal of said body, said insert comprising: a first body portion dimensioned to occupy substantially the entire width of said slot; and a second body portion wider than said first body portion to preclude passage of said insert through and out of said slot. 5. A swimming pool skimmer as defined in claim 4 including:

means for retaining said insert in the slot. 6. A swimming pool skimmer as defined in claim 5 wherein said retaining means comprises at least one laterally jutting element carried by said first body portion in spaced relation to said wider body portion giving said first body portion an effective width greater than the width of said slot at a second point distant from and additional to said wider body portion.

7. A swimming pool skimmer as defined in claim 6 wherein; v

the distance between said laterally jutting element and the wider body portion of the insert is commensurate with the thickness of the weir body to enable said wider body portion and laterally jutting element to overlie opposite faces of said weir body.

8. A swimming pool skimmer as defined in claim 6 wherein said laterally jutting element includes a camming surface sloping gently relative to the surface of the insert from which the element juts to spread the slot to enable entry of the insert into'the slot.

9. A swimming pool skimmer in accordance with claim 4 wherein:

the slot in the weir body is open at one end; and

said weir body includes means cooperating with the wider body portion of the insert to preclude endwise movement of the insert outof the slot 10, In a swimming pool surface skimmer of the type which includes an open housing, a skimmer throat for fluid communication between the housing interior and the swimming pool having hinge apertures in the sides thereof, and a skimmer weir assembly in said throat for moving as the water level in the swimming pool changes, the improvement wherein the weir assembly comprises: 7

a body having a hinge pin integral with each side thereof for entry into the hinge apertures in the skimmer and having a slot in the body in a-position of lateral displacement from each of said hinge pins to provide clearance for flexure of the sides of the body in the vicinity of the hinge pins and thereby facilitate the placement of the body in said skimmer throat; and

an insert positionable in said slot to inhibit said flexure, said insert comprising;

a first body portion dimensioned to occupy substantially the entire width of said slot;

a second body portion wider than the first body portion to preclude passage of said insert through and out of said slot; and

a lug associated with said first body portion on each,

the insert to effect retention of the insert in the slot. 

1. In a swimming pool surface skimmer of the type which includes an open housing, a skimmer throat for fluid communication between the housing interior and the swimming pool having hinge apertures in the sides thereof, and a skimmer weir assembly in said throat for moving as the water level in the swimming pool changes, the improvement wherein the weir assembly comprises: a body having hinge pins projecting from the sides thereof for entry into the hinge apertures in the skimmer throat and having a slot in the body in a position of lateral displacement from at least one of said hinge pins to provide clearance for flexure of the side of the body in the vicinity of the hinge pin and thereby facilitate the placement of the body in said skimmer throat; and an insert positionable in said slot to lock said hinge pins within said hinge apertures once said body has been positioned within said skimmer throat, preventing inadvertent removal of said body caused by a possible flexure of said side of said body.
 2. A swimming pool skimmer as defined in claim 1 including: means for retaining said insert in the slot.
 3. A swimming pool skimmer as defined in claim 1 wherein said insert comprises: a body portion dimensioned to occupy substantially the entire width of said slot; and at least one flange extending laterally from the body portion of the insert to preclude passage of the body portion entirely through and out of the slot.
 4. In a swimming pool suRface skimmer of the type which includes an open housing, a skimmer throat for fluid communication between the housing interior and the swimming pool having hinge apertures in the sides thereof, and a skimmer weir assembly in said throat for moving as the water level in the swimming pool changes, the improvement wherein the weir assembly comprises: a body having hinge pins projecting from the sides thereof for entry into the hinge apertures in the skimmer throat and having a slot in the body in a position of lateral displacement from at least one of said hinge pins to provide clearance for flexure of the side of the body in the vicinity of the hinge pin and thereby facilitate the placement of the body in said skimmer throat, the distance between said hinge pins being greater than the width of the opening of said skimmer throat, requiring said flexure of at least one of said sides of said body toward the other side of said body in order to position said hinge pins within said skimmer throat to allow said hinge pins to snap into said hinge apertures as a result of said one side of said body flexing outward to its normal position; and an insert positionable in said slot to lock said hinge pins within said hinge apertures once said body has been positioned within said skimmer throat, preventing inadvertent removal of said body, said insert comprising: a first body portion dimensioned to occupy substantially the entire width of said slot; and a second body portion wider than said first body portion to preclude passage of said insert through and out of said slot.
 5. A swimming pool skimmer as defined in claim 4 including: means for retaining said insert in the slot.
 6. A swimming pool skimmer as defined in claim 5 wherein said retaining means comprises at least one laterally jutting element carried by said first body portion in spaced relation to said wider body portion giving said first body portion an effective width greater than the width of said slot at a second point distant from and additional to said wider body portion.
 7. A swimming pool skimmer as defined in claim 6 wherein: the distance between said laterally jutting element and the wider body portion of the insert is commensurate with the thickness of the weir body to enable said wider body portion and laterally jutting element to overlie opposite faces of said weir body.
 8. A swimming pool skimmer as defined in claim 6 wherein said laterally jutting element includes a camming surface sloping gently relative to the surface of the insert from which the element juts to spread the slot to enable entry of the insert into the slot.
 9. A swimming pool skimmer in accordance with claim 4 wherein: the slot in the weir body is open at one end; and said weir body includes means cooperating with the wider body portion of the insert to preclude endwise movement of the insert out of the slot.
 10. In a swimming pool surface skimmer of the type which includes an open housing, a skimmer throat for fluid communication between the housing interior and the swimming pool having hinge apertures in the sides thereof, and a skimmer weir assembly in said throat for moving as the water level in the swimming pool changes, the improvement wherein the weir assembly comprises: a body having a hinge pin integral with each side thereof for entry into the hinge apertures in the skimmer and having a slot in the body in a position of lateral displacement from each of said hinge pins to provide clearance for flexure of the sides of the body in the vicinity of the hinge pins and thereby facilitate the placement of the body in said skimmer throat; and an insert positionable in said slot to inhibit said flexure, said insert comprising; a first body portion dimensioned to occupy substantially the entire width of said slot; a second body portion wider than the first body portion to preclude passage of said insert through and out of said slot; and a lug associated with saiD first body portion on each side thereof and comprised of a camming surface sloping gently outwardly relative to the surface of said first body portion to spread the slot to enable entry of the insert into the slot and a surface generally normal to the side of said first body portion and facing said wider body portion and spaced therefrom a distance commensurate with the thickness weir body to abut the surface of said weir body on the opposite side from said wider body portion of the insert to effect retention of the insert in the slot. 